


Ba Sing Se Blues

by Alabaster86



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Ba Sing Se, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-08
Updated: 2015-02-08
Packaged: 2018-03-11 04:12:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3313484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alabaster86/pseuds/Alabaster86
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zuko prepares for his 'date' with Jin; thoughts of home and another girl dominate his thoughts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ba Sing Se Blues

“Here, Zuko; I thought you could wear this tonight.” Iroh, _Mushi_ to everyone they knew in Ba Sing Se, held out a tunic and pants. 

The Fire Nation prince glared at the outfit, though it was quite smart, a rich, dark green over lighter green, with mandarin collar and sash.  “Why?” His raspy voice was surly and matched his glare. Zuko’s good eye narrowed and suspicion emanated from him.  “I don’t want to go on this stupid date anyway.”

Accustomed to dealing with his nephew’s moods and temper and attitude, Iroh just sighed and tilted his head, examining the young man before him with wise amber coloured eyes. “It will be good for you to do something normal and regular for once. And Jin seems like a lovely girl.  She likes you, Zuko.  You might actually have some fun.”

“Why would she like me? She doesn’t even know me.”

“Who can explain the ways of love?”  Iroh joked with a chuckle. He moved closer to Zuko, placing a hand on his shoulder.  “Don’t fight things so much. Not everything needs to be questioned. Just go out and enjoy yourself.”

“I don’t know how,” Zuko muttered.

For three years now, he’d done nothing but think about the Avatar, gaining his father’s love and respect and getting back all that he had lost, all the things that were his by right.  The Fire Nation called to him like a lost love. He longed to be beneath the palace roof once more, walk the gardens, those majestic halls, the fire emblem everywhere.  He didn’t belong in the Earth Kingdom. And no amount of pretending would make any difference.

He raised a hand, the movement unconscious, and fingers probed his scar, feeling the ridges of stiff tissue.  Some things he would never get back.  Doubt flickered somewhere in his mind. The truth of his father, a truth that he could not quite face, raised its head for a moment. Zuko shoved it away with great force before it could take root.

The prince let out a puff of air before pinching the bridge of his nose savagely. He was so confused, so lost these days, without a home and with no one but his uncle to love him. Sometimes, the idea of giving up on his quest, living in the Earth Kingdom for the rest of his days, making a home here, had its appeal. It might be easier to just give up, resign himself to life as a tea server. He could never get too close to anyone, however. His secret might come out and that would be disastrous. No wife in his Earth Kingdom future, no kids that might be fire benders too, just fleeting relationships, never anything too intimate. It sounded bleak and so very sad.

“We could stay here, nephew.”  Iroh’s spoke softly, as though calming an unruly animal.  “We could make a life. We could be happy.”

“How did you know?”  Zuko looked at Iroh with suspicion.

“You had that distant look in your eyes. I knew you were busy thinking about something.”

Was it even possible?  Could he give up his true identity forever, suppress his fire bending, betray the flame that burned within?  Could he maintain that act?

“I, I can’t, Uncle; I can’t live a lie for the rest of my life. I have to go home….somehow.”

“Yes, well, in the meantime, go out and have a good time. Consider it practice for the future. Treat Jin well. Be the gentleman I know you can be, the prince that you are.”

Zuko complied, washed and dressed in his new clothes, allowed Iroh to tame his unruly hair. He felt silly and awkward and shy, but a little bit excited too. And he couldn’t help but think of another girl, one so different from Jin, a tall, elegant ebony haired girl with skin pale as the moon.  He should be with her.  Everything was wrong. One day he would make it right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
